1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire caddy. More particularly, the present invention relates to wire caddy attachable to a ladder capable of holding spools of wire utilized in the electrical trade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In wiring, it is common to thread coded wires through conduit to install desired circuits. In such cases the various colored wire is supplied in individual spools, which must be taken to the immediate work area where wire is pulled from one or more spools as needed and threaded through the conduit. The electrician usually works from a step ladder and is required to manipulate the wire. Also when the ladder is moved, the spools, which must also be moved, get in the way and or the wires get tangled.
Efforts have been made to overcome the foregoing problem, but so far, no device has proven satisfactory for the types of wires and work under consideration. Prior art devices describe clamps on a fixed stud and presents a horizontal table with a vertical shaft about which a coil may be placed. The coil is supported on the table and rotates therewith as the wire is unwound. The device cannot be used with a plurality of spools because they would interfere with each other. Also, the device is designed for use with vertical standing studs and is only useful if they are available.
Numerous innovations for wire caddies have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,091, Titled, PORTABLE MULTIPLE SPOOL WIRE DISPENSER, invented by Knight et al., A wire dispensing device having two brackets adapted to mount on spaced apart step ladder support legs and a spool holding shaft spanning the distance between brackets and secured thereto. The shaft is so mounted to the brackets that one end can be swung out for adding or removing spools.
The present invention differs from the above described patent due to the different type of mounting devices. The present invention's wire caddy is fully retractable within the ladder upon collapsing whereas the patented invention must be removed prior to collapsing due to the external bracket members.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,743, Titled, WIRE SPOOLS HOLDING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS, Invented by, De Luca et al., A wire holding and dispensing apparatus comprises a frame having a plurality of transverse divider members and a median member secured to said transverse divider members and disposed laterally with respect to said frame thereby forming a plurality of compartments. A stub-shaft is fixedly mounted on each side of the median member within each of the compartments. Each of the stub-shafts is disposed in coaxial alignment with another stub-shaft which is fixedly mounted against undesired rotational movement and secured to the frame, while the other stub-shaft is capable of axial movement. A wire spool is disposed between coaxial pairs of the stub-shafts with the axially movable stub shaft exerting a frictional force on the ends of the wire spool to retard reverse rotational movement thereof, and wire guide members are secured to the frame associated with each of the wire spools with the ends of the wire extending through the guide members to locate the ends at a predetermined position with respect to the frame.
The present invention differs significantly from the patented invention due to the adjustable feature where the wire spool is adjustably mounted upon a tracking system rather than the patented invention which mounts through the rung supports which weakens the entire structure.
Numerous innovations for wire caddies have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.